You Can't 'Beet' the Secret Ingredient in These Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Gluten-free and vegan chocolate cupcakes no longer only exists in your dreams. They’re happening – right here, right now. What makes these cupcakes so cake-like and moist is the addition of beets, which does the job that animal-based products like milk, butter, and eggs are often called in to do. The beets don’t make the cupcakes taste like beet--instead, its presence magnifies the deep, earthy flavors of the chocolate. Enjoy!

Chocolate cupcakes are supposed to be decadent, but what if they were low-key vegan and gluten-free too? Win, win, and win.

50minDuration

30minCook Time

20minPrep Time

1 cupcakeServings

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/3 cup coconut nectar

1/3 cup coconut palm sugar

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1 cup roasted beet puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup almond meal

1/4 cup oat flour

3/4 cup gluten-free flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of cayenne pepper

For the frosting:

12 ounces coconut milk chilled in the fridge

1 tablespoon roasted beet puree

2 tablespoons chia seeds

2 dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons coconut nectar

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap two large beets in aluminum foil and set in the oven. Let them bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until they are tender throughout. Let the beets cool slightly before peeling away their skins. Once peeled, transfer them to a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add one to two tablespoons of water to help the beets turn into a purée more efficiently.

Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the two tablespoons of chia seeds with six tablespoons of water and set aside for five minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk the apple cider vinegar into the almond milk and set aside as well for five minutes.

To prepare the muffins, add the baking soda, chia mixture, coconut nectar, coconut palm sugar, coconut oil, one cup beet purée (reserving one tablespoon for later use), and vanilla extract to the almond milk mixture. Stir until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the salt, cocoa powder, oat flour, gluten-free flour, cinnamon, and cayenne. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the mixture turns into a thin, smooth batter.

Divide the batter between the muffin tins and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the cupcakes cook, prepare the chocolate frosting. Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender. Scoop the mixture into a bowl and let chill in the fridge while the cupcakes cool down. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, slather each with the frosting. Enjoy!